Ajay Goel, Ph.D., AGAF

626-218-0026
Ajay Goel, Ph.D., AGAF
Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics
Research Area
  • Gastrointestinal Cancer
Academic Appointments
  • Director, Biotech Innovations
  • Associate Director for Basic Science, Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dynamic and passionate — with a formidable record of patented innovations in cancer care — Ajay Goel, Ph.D., AGAF, is committed to developing better methods for the early detection and precision treatment of cancer. He joined City of Hope® in June 2019 as founding chair of the new Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics and founding director of Biotech Innovations at Beckman Research Institute. Dr. Goel is also the associate director of basic science for the comprehensive cancer center and is a fellow of the American Gastroenterology Association.

“City of Hope has a wonderful track record of moving discoveries from bench to clinic,” he said. “And by founding this new department, which will add a layer of earlier noninvasive diagnostics, we will hopefully make a difference in this war on cancer.”

A noted expert in gastrointestinal and other cancers, Goel is currently developing early-detection blood tests for colon, pancreatic and ovarian cancers — as well as a test for pancreatic cancer that can detect the disease seven years earlier than is now possible. Within the next few years, these tests are expected to become a simple and affordable part of everyone’s annual health physical, just like tests for diabetes or cholesterol.

He is also working with genomic-based precision oncology to provide answers to the question: Why do therapies work with some good candidates and not with others.

Goel was born in India, received his Ph.D. in biophysics from Punjab University, completed his postgraduate work at the University of California San Diego, and went on to a noteworthy 16-year career at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute in Texas. He has authored more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed international journals and holds more than 30 advanced genomic and transcriptomic international patents.

One surprising fact about Goel: In addition to his technological expertise, he finds wisdom in the ancient Indian medical system Ayurveda, which has given us such natural therapies as the proven anti-inflammatory in turmeric. Prevention, he believes, is the best medicine.

Visit Goel Lab

Location

Education & Experience

Degrees

  • 1991–1996, Ph.D., Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • 1988–1990, M.S. (Honors), Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • 1985–1988, B.S. (Honors), Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Fellowship

  • 1998–present, AGAF — Fellow, American Gastroenterology Association

Professional Experience

  • 2020–present, Associate Director of Basic Science, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2019–present, Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2016–2019, Michael A Ramsay Chair in Cancer Genomics, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare
  • 2015–2019, Adjunct Distinguished Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences at Curtin University, Perth, Australia
  • 2015–2019, Adjunct Professor, Baylor University Institute for Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, TX
  • 2014–2019, Director, Center for Translational Genomics and Oncology, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and Charles A Sammons Cancer Center, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
  • 2012–2019, Director, Center for Gastrointestinal Research, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and Charles A Sammons Cancer Center, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
  • 2005–2019, Investigator/Professor, Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
  • 2011–2014, Director, Epigenetics and Cancer Prevention Research, Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
  • 2003–2005, Associate Investigator (equivalent to Associate Professor), Baylor Research Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
  • 2001–2003, Assistant Project Scientist, Department of Medicine and Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2023 Received AACR-Lustgarten Foundation’s Award
  • 2023 Elected Member, Publications Committee, American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
  • 2023 PLoS One, Editorial Board, Long Service Award
  • 2023 Elected Member, Research Impact Fund (RIF) Committee of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong
  • 2022 Distinguished National Alum Award, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • 2022, Top cited article in 2021, Scientific Reports
  • 2021, Elected nominating committee member, American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
  • 2020, Board of directors nominee, Gastric Cancer Foundation
  • 2020, Erudite Scholar award, Kerala State Higher Education Council, Government of India
  • 2020, R. Robert & Sally Funderberg Research award, AGA
  • 2019, Ludwig Cancer Research-Hilton Foundation Partnership award
  • 2019, Top cited article in 2018, Scientific Reports
  • 2019, Best of the Journal award, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) for the Top cited article in 2017, Clinical Cancer Research
  • 2018, Best poster award, annual Baylor-TGen alliance meeting
  • 2018, Podium presentation, AACR 2018 annual meeting
  • 2018, Top Reviewer award, Gastroenterology journal
  • 2018, Four oral presentations, including at AGA's Plenary Topic Forum, Digestive Disease Week (DDW)
  • 2018, Poster of Distinction award, AGA
  • 2018, Selected for oral presentation, AACR 2018 annual meeting
  • 2017, National Cancer Institute Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium U01 grant award
  • 2017, Three oral presentations, AGA's Plenary Topic Forum, DDW
  • 2017, Poster of Distinction award, AGA
  • 2016, Selected into the AACR Basic Cancer Research Fellowships Scientific Review Award Committee
  • 2016, Poster of Distinction award, AGA
  • 2016, Michael A. Ramsay Chair in Translational Genomics and Oncology
  • 2016, Poster of Distinction awards at the annual AGA/DDW meetings in San Diego, CA

Memberships

  • 2022–present, Member, European Society of Medical Oncology
  • 2022–present, Member, American Pancreatic Association
  • 2018–present, Member, Early Detection Research Network
  • 2017–present, Member, Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium
  • 2017–present, Member, American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • 2017–present, Member, Cancer Epigenetics Society
  • 1998–present, Member, American Association for Cancer Research
  • 1998–present, Member and Fellow, American Gastroenterology Association
  • 1993–present, Member, Electron Microscopy Society of India
  • 1989–present, Lifetime Member, Society of Biophysicists of India
  • 1989–present, Member, Association of Medical Physicists of India
  • 1994–1996, Member, Microscopy Society of America

Publications

  • Mannucci A, Xu C, Balaguer F, Okugawa Y, Toiyama Y, Pera M, Zhang J, Bartlett D, Zaidi AH, Therkildsen C, Cavestro GM, Bujanda L, Goel A (2026). A blood-based test for detection of advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer (DENEB): a multicentre diagnostic accuracy study. Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, PMID: 42575119. (In Press).
  • Takahashi T, Mannucci A, Shigeyasu K, Kopetz S, Fakih M, Maurel J, Fujiwara T, and Goel A (2025). EXONERATE-TRaCE: A liquid biopsy for tracking response to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor-based therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer. JCO Precision Oncology. 10(5):e2501229. PMID: 42150147. PMCID: PMC13390557.
  • Miyazaki K, Montcusi B, Morine Y, Okuno K, Pascual M, Tokunaga T, Noma T, Kinugasa Y, Shimada M, Cai G, Pera M, and Goel A (2026). An exosome-based liquid biopsy to predict molecular residual disease for the identification of high-risk patients with stage II-III colorectal cancer: The CLEAR study. Molecular Cancer. 25(1):136. PMID: 41776599. PMCID: PMC13195916.
  • Mannucci A, Balaguer F, Yamada Y, Nagasaka T, Toiyama Y, Okugawa Y, Marti-Gallostra M, Jimenez-Toscano M, Vidal-Tocino R, Jimenez F, Perea J, Quintero E, Boland CR, Cavestro GM, and Goel A on behalf of the SECOC-ENCODE collaborators (2026). An Exosome-Based Liquid Biopsy for the Detection of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: The ENCODER Multicenter Study. Gastroenterology, 170(2):330-343. PMID: 41364052. PMCID: PMC12694970. 
  • Noma T, Saez de Gordoa K, Daca-Alvarez M, Miyazaki K, Wada Y, Mannucci A, Onoyama T, Shimada M, Cuatrecasas M, Bujanda L, Pellise M, Goel A, on behalf of part of the EpiT1 Consortium (2026). A machine learning-based transcriptomic signature for predicting tumor recurrence after curative resection in T1 colorectal cancer: a retrospective multicenter cohort study (The Tw1CE trial). International Journal of Surgery, 112(4):9039-9051. PMID: 41604539. PMCID: PMC13105551.
  • Mannucci A, and Goel A (2026). Advances in pancreatic cancer early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment: The past, the present, and the future. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 76(1):e70035. PMID: 40971231.
  • Li Y, Xu C, Park H, Omstead AN, Anees M, Sherry C, Khan AF, Grayhack E, Weksler B, Wagner P, Bartlett DL, Meltzer SJ, Zaidi AH, and Goel A (2025). A machine-learning informed circulating microbial DNA signature for early diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Gut Microbes, 18(1):2604334. PMID: 41439274. PMCID: PMC12758224.
  • Shoda K, Xu C, Nagasaka T, Ichikawa D, and Goel A (2025). A machine-learning powered liquid biopsy predicts response to Paclitaxel plus Ramucirumab in advanced gastric cancer: Results from the prospective IVY trial. Molecular Cancer, 25(1):30. PMID: 41275215. PMCID: PMC12903554.
  • Sui S, Li Y, Maurel J, and Goel A (2025). Circ-EGFR is a predictor of response to Cetuximab and a potential target in colorectal cancer. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 17(12):3525-3554. PMID: 41214390. PMCID: PMC12686431.
  • Miyoshi J, Mannucci A, Scarpa M, Gao F, Toden S, Whitsett TG, Inge LJ, Bremner RM, Takayama T, Cheng Y, Bottiglieri T, Nagtegaal ID, Shrubsole MJ, Zaidi AH, Wang X, Coleman HG, Anderson LA, Meltzer SJ, Goel A (2025). A liquid biopsy to identify Barrett’s esophagus, dysplasia, and esophageal adenocarcinoma: The EMERALD multicentre study. Gut, 74(2):169-181. PMID: 39562048. PMCID: PMC11869464.
  • Xu C, Mannucci A, Esposito F, Oliveres H, Alonso-Orduna V, Yubero A, Fernandez-Martos C, Salud A, Gallego J, Martin-Richard M, Fernandez-Plana J, Guillot M, Aparicio J, Fakih M, Kopetz S, Maurel J, and Goel A (2025). An exosome-based liquid biopsy predicts the depth of response and survival outcomes to cetuximab and panitumumab in metastatic colorectal cancer: The EXONERATE study. Clinical Cancer Research, 31(6): 1002-1015. PMID: 39820673. PMCID: PMC11913580.
  • Mannucci A, Hernandez G, Uetake H, Yamada Y, Balaguer F, Baba H, Chen T, Chen J, Boland CR, Cavestro GM, Quintero E, and Goel A (2025). Prediction of long-term recurrence-free and overall survival in early-onset colorectal cancer survivors. The ENCORE multi-center study. Npj Precision Oncology, 9(1): 202. PMID: 40544180. PMCID: PMC12182588.
  • Sui S, Xu C, Kanda M, Okugawa Y, Toiyama Y, Park JO, Hur H, Kim SC, Taketomi A, Kodera Y, Cheng X, Li M, and Goel A (2025). Exosomal liquid biopsy for early detection of gastric cancer: The DESTINEX multicenter study. JAMA Surgery, 160(9):973-982. PMID: 40737022. PMCID: PMC12311825.
  • Mannucci A, Cavestro GM, and Goel A (2025). Defining Enrichment and Reconsidering Findings: A “D.E.F.” Perspective on the METAPAC Study. Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 10(10): 879. PMID: 40914176.
  • Mannucci A and Goel A (2024). Stool and blood DNA tests for colorectal cancer screening. New England Journal of Medicine, 390(23): 2224. PMID: 38899710.
  • Mannucci A and Goel A (2024). Stool and blood biomarkers for colorectal cancer management: An update on screening and disease monitoring. Molecular Cancer, 23(1):259. PMID: 39558327. PMCID: PMC11575410.
  • Xu C, Jun E, Okugawa Y, Toiyama Y, Borazanci E, Bolton J, Taketomi A, Kim SC, Shang D, Von Hoff D, Zhang G, and Goel A (2024). A Circulating Panel of circRNA Biomarkers for the Noninvasive and Early Detection of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Gastroenterology, 166(1): 178–190.e16. PMID: 37839499. PMCID: PMC10843014.
  • Okuno K, Watanabe S, Hur H, Lee J, Park JO, Tokunaga M, Tanabe M, Kinugasa Y and Goel A (2024). An exosome-based liquid biopsy signature for therapeutic response prediction to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Clinical and Translational Medicine, 14(7):e1629. PMID: 39031975. PMCID: PMC11259598.
  • Dai Q, Ye C, Irkliyenko I, Wang Y, Sun HL, Gao Y, Liu Y, Beadell A, Perea J, Goel A and He C (2024). Ultrafast bisulfite sequencing detection of 5-methylcytosine in DNA and RNA. Nature Biotechnology, 42(10):1559-1570. PMID: 38168991. PMCID: PMC11217147.
  • Okuno K, Tokunaga M, Von Hoff D, Kinugasa Y and Goel A (2023). Intratumoral Malasseziaglobosa levels predict survival and therapeutic response to adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Gastroenterology, 165(2): 502-504. PMID: 37119937. PMCID: PMC10405668.
  • Zhao Y, Peng F, Wang C, Murano T, Baba H, Ikematsu H, Li W, and Goel A (2023). A DNA methylation-based epigenetic signature for the identification of lymph node metastasis in T1 colorectal cancer. Annals of Surgery, 277(4): 655-663. PMID: 35837968. PMCID: PMC9840712.
  • Cavestro GM, Mannucci A, Balaguer F, Hampel H, Kupfer SS, Repici A, Sartore-Bianchi A, Seppälä TT, Valentini V, Boland CR, Brand RE, Buffart TE, Burke CA, Caccialanza R, Cannizzaro R, Cascinu S, Cercek A, Crosbie EJ, Danese S, Dekker E, Daca-Alvarez M, Deni F, Dominguez-Valentin M, Eng C, Goel A, Guillem JG, Houwen BBSL, Kahi C, Kalady MF, Kastrinos F, Kuhn F, Laghi L, Latchford A, Liska D, Lynch P, Malesci A, Mauri G, Meldolesi E, Møller P, Monahan KJ, Moslein G, Murphy CC, Nass K, Ng K, Oliani C, Papaleo E, Patel SG, Puzzono M, Remo A, Ricciardiello L, Ripamonti CI, Siena S, Singh SK, Stadler ZK, Stanich PP, Syngal S, Turi S, Urso ED, Valle L, Vanni VS, Vilar E, Vitellaro M, You YN, Yurgelun MB, Zuppardo RA, Stoffel EM, on behalf of the Associazione Italiana Familiarità Ereditarietà Tumori, the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancers, the European Hereditary Tumor Group, and the International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumours (2023). Delphi initiative for early-onset colorectal cancer (DIRECt). International Management Guidelines. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 21(3): 581-603.e33. PMID: 36549470.
  • Okuno K, Kandimalla R, Mendiola M, Balaguer F, Bujanda L, Fernandez-Martos C, Aparicio J, Feliu J, Tokunaga M, Kinugasa Y, Maurel J and Goel A (2023). A microRNA signature for risk-stratification and response prediction to FOLFOX-based adjuvant therapy in stage II and III colorectal cancer. Molecular Cancer, 22(1): 13. PMID: 36670412. PMCID: PMC9854096.
  • Okada Y, Peng F, Perea J, Corchete L, Bujanda L, Li W and Goel A (2023). Genome-wide methylation profiling identifies a novel gene signature for patients with synchronous colorectal cancer. British Journal of Cancer, 128(1):112-120. PMID: 36319845. PMCID: PMC9814149.